Eye health to be integrated into school programmes across Nepal following 36 month project by UK Aid Match grant holder Orbis

3 July 2023

Aadya loves nothing more than to play and watch TV with her siblings. But over the past year, her vision blurred and she struggled to see. Her father Ajay noticed something was wrong:

“She would sit very close to the TV, and at school she would make frequent mistakes while studying.”

Globally refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment amongst children. It is a common condition which can lead to blurry vision and can be easily corrected with a pair of glasses. But if a child can’t access the eye care they need, it can significantly impact their education, their confidence and ultimately their future.

As a result of the 36-month UK Aid Match programme delivered by Orbis in Nepal’s Siraha and Parsa districts called REACH (Refractive Error Among Children) Aadya was able to access vision screening at her school through REACH where she was diagnosed as short-sighted. She was prescribed a free pair of glasses which she could pick up herself. She hasn’t taken them off since.

This is Aadya. Aadya was able to access vision screening at her school through REACH where she was diagnosed as short-sighted. Photo credit Orbis

“I could see the transformation in my daughter immediately. Now she can see clearly and writes better with fewer corrections. The impact this is making on her education is very clear.”

“Eyes are life. If you have healthy eyes, you can see everything in this world.”

As a result of the programme, Nepal’s government has agreed to integrate eye health into school programmes across the country. This means crucial screenings will continue to be available to all children in Nepal.

To find out more about Orbis and their eye-health work, visit their website.